Average power rating of opponents played: HOUSTON 23.5, SAN FRANCISCO 24.8

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

HOUSTON - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/9/2013

@ SAN DIEGO

31-28

W

-5

L

44

O

28-120

34-45-329

1

20-80

14-29-183

1

9/15/2013

TENNESSEE

30-24

W

-7

L

41.5

O

28-172

26-48-280

2

33-119

17-30-129

0

9/22/2013

@ BALTIMORE

9-30

L

1.5

L

44

U

23-94

25-35-170

1

31-75

16-24-161

0

9/29/2013

SEATTLE

20-23

L

1.5

L

41

O

35-151

31-49-325

3

30-179

12-23-91

2

10/6/2013

@ SAN FRANCISCO

10/13/2013

ST LOUIS

10/20/2013

@ KANSAS CITY

11/3/2013

INDIANAPOLIS

SAN FRANCISCO - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/8/2013

GREEN BAY

34-28

W

-5.5

W

46.5

O

34-90

27-39-404

0

19-63

21-37-322

2

9/15/2013

@ SEATTLE

3-29

L

5

L

31

O

20-100

13-28-107

5

47-172

8-19-118

1

9/22/2013

INDIANAPOLIS

7-27

L

-10.5

L

45.5

U

23-115

13-27-139

2

39-179

18-27-157

0

9/26/2013

@ ST LOUIS

35-11

W

-3

W

43

O

40-219

15-23-151

2

19-18

19-41-170

2

10/6/2013

HOUSTON

10/13/2013

ARIZONA

10/20/2013

@ TENNESSEE

10/27/2013

*JACKSONVILLE

KEY GAME INFORMATION

HOUSTON: The cornerstone of Houston's offense remains its zone-blocking running scheme, though the club did slip from first to ninth in the NFL in terms of run/pass ratio. The offensive line has steadily developed into one of the NFL's best, a mobile group that specializes in (for now, still legal) cut blocking. It's a one-cut system for their backs, where Arian Foster thrives. The Texans seem to have lost some faith in Ben Tate, as Foster played a league-leading 847 snaps last season.
The Texans use a conservative West Coast passing game that works off play-action but doesn't do a lot downfield. Andre Johnson is the centerpiece, a guy who gets moved around and is almost always Matt Schaub's first look. Tight end Owen Daniels still serves as the default No. 2 target, often working off Johnson on the same side of the field. Rookie DeAndre Hopkins will be more of a field stretcher on the opposite side. Foster was utilized less in the passing game last year, though Houston could look to rekindle the screen game considering Schaub's inability to get the ball deep. Houston is one of the NFL's most run-heavy red zone teams. Foster led the league in touchdowns of less than 10 yards last year (14) and had 71.9 percent of Houston's touches inside the 10.
Just the presence of Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt (NFL-best 20.5 sacks, 39 TFL) is enough to make the Texans a strong defense, and the addition of playmaking FS Ed Reed (9 career TD) and the healthy return of ILB Brian Cushing makes them truly elite. CBs Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson are stellar shutdown corners. Versatile Danieal Manning should have little trouble shifting from free safety to strong safety, and the team expects big things from OLB Whitney Mercilus in his second season.

SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers have a big, man-blocking offensive line and frequently use either a fullback or a second tight end. The backfield is a committee, but there are plenty of touches to go around. Frank Gore is still the leader, getting a feature back workload for all intents and purposes, and Kendall Hunter will spell him in their more traditional looks. They'll also run a ton of zone read stuff for Colin Kaepernick, and will use second-year man LaMichael James in those packages more frequently. Converted defensive end Bruce Miller is strictly a blocker at fullback. Marcus Lattimore will likely have a redshirt year.
It's a lot of play-action, pistol formations and a lot of moving around for Kaepernick. His No. 1 target Michael Crabtree will be sidelined until at least December, and is more of a possession receiver, while TE Vernon Davis is going to stretch the field more often than either starting receiver. The Niners don't use a lot of three- and four-receiver looks, but they could rotate A.J. Jenkins into the game more often to provide more long speed on the outside. Mario Manningham is a question mark for the start of the season coming off torn knee ligaments. Gore takes about half their touches inside the 10 and will maintain goal line duties. They will let Kaepernick do his thing near the goal line.
The 49ers defense was truly elite last year (17.1 PPG allowed, 2nd in NFL; 294 total YPG allowed, 3rd in NFL). It might be even better in 2013 after adding CB Nnamdi Asomugha, rookie FS Eric Reid and DT Glenn Dorsey. DEs Aldon Smith (19.5 sacks) and Justin Smith are both healthy, and ILBs NaVorro Bowman (148 tackles) and Patrick Willis (120 tackles) comprise the best linebacker duo in the NFL. CB Tarell Brown (13 PD) is an underrated corner and SS Donte Whitner provides quite a wallop when making a tackle.

A decisive and much-needed victory helped the San Francisco 49ers end their recent two-game slide and regain some confidence.

Now, they hope to prevent the Houston Texans from doing the same when the teams meet Sunday night at Candlestick Park.

After being outscored 56-10 in consecutive losses to Seattle and Indianapolis, San Francisco (2-2) looked dominant on both sides of the ball during a 35-11 win at St. Louis on Sept. 26.

"You want that response," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I thought the team stared adversity in the face (with) a lot of grit and determination. The guys played with great energy and great toughness."

After rushing for 142 yards in the first three games, Frank Gore ran for 153 and a touchdown against the Rams. Teammate Anquan Boldin caught five passes for 90 yards and a TD following the same two-game stretch in which he had six receptions for 74.

Colin Kaepernick completed 47.3 percent of his passes while throwing four interceptions, no touchdowns and taking six sacks versus Seattle and Indianapolis. Against the Rams, he went 15 of 23 for 167 yards but threw two TDs without a pick.

"We know the talent we have on this team," Kaepernick said. "We know what we're capable of."

A defensive unit that gave up 356 rushing yards to the Seahawks and Colts held the Rams to 18 even without stars Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith in the lineup.

"Really, a good team win when you look at the defense," Harbaugh said. "... What was most impressive was the way the guys played together as a unit."

As Smith remains out indefinitely while attending a rehab facility following his second drunken-driving arrest, it's uncertain if Willis will return from a groin injury. Offensive lineman Joe Staley is expected to play after he injured his leg at St. Louis.

Like the 49ers, Houston (2-2) is a Super Bowl hopeful mired in a mediocre start and looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat.

"We're not where we want to be, but there's a long, long way to go," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "We're a very capable football team, but we've got to be a more consistent football team."

After beating San Diego and Tennessee by a combined nine points, the Texans were blown out 30-9 at Baltimore, then blew a 17-point halftime lead in last Sunday's 23-20 overtime loss to Seattle.

That defeat prompted the team to hold a players-only meeting Monday.

"This isn't fun, man. I was sick of it after one loss," said defensive end J.J. Watt, who has recorded all 3 1/2 of his sacks in the last three games.

"We'll get it fixed. Everything that's wrong will be fixed. I can promise that."

Quarterback Matt Schaub needs to show some improvement after throwing six interceptions already - one of which has been returned for a TD in three straight games.

Despite those struggles, Kubiak has no plans to make a change.

"He's our quarterback," he said. "I don't see a lack of confidence. I see poor decision-making situations. It's something he has to handle and something we have to help him handle."

Schaub should remain comfortable relying on running back Arian Foster, who recorded 171 total yards last Sunday after totaling 227 in the first three games.

Houston allowed an average of 91.3 rushing yards through the first three weeks of the season, but yielded 179 to the Seahawks.

Stopping Kaepernick and Gore could be even tougher if linebacker Brian Cushing is unable to play after he suffered a concussion against Seattle. Cushing, who leads the team with 33 tackles, is being put through the league's mandatory concussion protocol.

The Texans and 49ers split their previous two meetings with each winning at home by three points.

In Houston's 24-21 victory over San Francisco in 2009, Schaub went 20 of 30 for 264 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. One of those touchdowns went to tight end Owen Daniels, who caught seven passes for 123 yards.

Vernon Davis had three TD receptions for the 49ers in that contest, but Gore was held to 32 yards on 13 carries.